


what are we, really?

by sukitarasupremacy



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: And i hate him, Hand Kisses, Jon ily you tell that bitch, M/M, Manipulation, Scheming Elias Bouchard, disrespect of boundaries, elias bouchard is a meanie, i mean only a little bit but still, just chatting ig, not really elias is just mildly threatening, sorta??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:02:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29957226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sukitarasupremacy/pseuds/sukitarasupremacy
Summary: Jon's first week as archivist, he takes a break and Elias joins him. might add more like thisalso known as: I was bored, wanted to write something, and jonelias was the first ship I saw
Relationships: Elias Bouchard/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Ignorance and bliss

**Author's Note:**

> Elias is a lil creepy sorry about that

“I never took you for a smoker, Jon.” Jon turned his gaze from the bustling London street, and was surprised to see Elias Bouchard behind him.  
“Oh! Hello, Elias. I, uh, wasn’t expecting to see you out here,” he said, hastily going to stub out his cigarette. “No, please don’t stop on my account,” Elias assured him, leaning against the spot of the wall beside Jon. Jon settled back into place and stared at the ground awkwardly, what did one do when one's posh boss interrupted their smoking break? Elias, however, seemed utterly unbothered. 

Of course he did, Jon didn’t know whether to admire or be irritated by it. Jon wasn’t great with people, they had a tendency to leave him feeling diminished, sometimes like a whole different person. It had worried him, the thought that one day he might get so used to wearing masks for others that he’d forget how to be himself. So he’d stopped. And so had his social life.

Feeling he should say something, Jon said, “I don’t smoke usually, it’s just been a bit stressful this week, with the new job, and the state of the archives…” he trailed off, not wanting to sound ungrateful. “Of course,” Elias smiled apologetically, “Gertrude was a good archivist, but eccentric, to say the least. She had her methods, but I’ll confess we were never quite close enough for me to know them.” He paused, shooting Jon a look he couldn’t quite read. “I hope the two of us can build a better relationship.” It was the way he said the word relationship that made Jon hesitate before replying. Elias placed far too much weight on it, and Jon just couldn’t tell what he was saying. “I’d like that,” he said, forcing a smile.  
Elias smiled too, it seemed more genuine this time, his perfect lips splitting open beautifully- Jesus fucking christ, Jon. You are not fantasising about your bosses lips.

“Excellent,” Elias said, clapping Jon on the back. “Shall we start with favourite colours?”  
“Oh, uh, alright.” The whole thing felt utterly surreal. “Mine’s black.”  
“Honestly, Jon, I’d expect a head archivist to know that black is a shade.”  
Jon couldn’t help rolling his eyes, “must you be one of those people?”  
Elias snorted. His posh put-together boss honestly snorted with laughter. “Surely you must’ve realised that as the head of an academic institute I’m legally required to be one of those people.”  
“Sorry - I didn’t mean to -”  
Elias took his hand, silencing Jon immediately as the coolness of his slender fingers seeped into his skin. “I must insist that you don’t sully our relationship with all these wearisome apologies, Jon.” There it was again - the word relationship carrying too much. But Jon could barely form a coherent thought as Elias lifted Jon’s hand to his lips, holding his gaze all the while.  
“Elias,” Jon managed, “is- is this quite professional?”  
Elias laughed softly, sending shivers down Jon’s arm. “Oh, my dear,” he pressed his lips to Jon’s palm. It was not extraordinary, it was not life changing, but it was not unpleasant, and it made Jon feel warm all the way through. Elias dropped his hand and smirked at him, “I find completely consistent professionalism to be very dull indeed.” He straightened up and peered at his watch, “and now it’s time I was going, unfortunately,”  
“Will we talk again?” Jon asked nervously.  
“I certainly hope so, archivist.” As Jon went to stub out his cigarette, Elias brushed a strand of hair from Jon’s eyes. “Keep those open,” he whispered. “You have lovely eyes.” And then the institute door was closing behind him, leaving Jon in the courtyard with a cigarette butt, a racing heart, and no idea what had just happened. He wore his hair in a ponytail after that.


	2. the sting of knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> jon and elias meet again in the same circumstances, but set after mag 92, and jon is mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elias is a lil more creepy here

“Smoking again, Jon?” Jon jumped, cigarette falling into the fish pond. Elias. What was the smug bastard doing sneaking up on him?   
“Well, it appears I’m not anymore,” Jon said, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice.  
“Ah, yes,” Elias glanced down at the cigarette, floating sadly in the murky water. “Apologies for that - although I think you’ll find it’s for the best in the long run.”

Jon closed his eyes, why couldn’t he just fuck off?  
“Is there any particular reason you’re here, Elias, or did you just come to lecture me on the negative effects of smoking?”  
“Well, with all the negativity in our workplace over the last couple of weeks, I thought it’d be a good idea to spend some more time with my employees.”   
Jon laughed dryly, “and I think you’ll find that cause even more negativity,”   
Elias ignored him - hardly good for spreading positivity, Jon thought. 

“So tell me, Jon, what do you do in your free time?”  
“Oh, can you just shut up, Elias,” Jon said, losing patience. “I’m not going to stand here chatting about my research on emulsifiers as if you’re not a murderer who’s controlling all of us!” It was then Jon realised his fists were clenched, his breaths were coming hard and fast. Jon looked away, he really hadn’t meant to lose his temper, but Elias was just so bloody fake, he might as well have been made of plastic. Elias just raised an eyebrow, “emulsifiers, you say? Sounds quite thrilling, my dear Archivist.”   
Elias’s jacket sleeve brushed against Jon’s arm, and he fought the urge to back away. Elias was far too close. He needed to get inside, to get away from this man who barely counted as such anymore.

Jon edged to the left slightly, “well, uh, unfortunately I’m a little busy right-”   
Elias’s icy fingers closed around Jon’s chin, freezing him in place. “Are you afraid of me, Jon?” he asked, looking like a child who’d stumbled across a penny in the street.   
“No! No, uh, I’m just-”   
Elias chuckled softly, “tell me Jon, do these useless lies make you feel safe? Do they help you pretend that I don’t already know, that you could know too, if you wished?” Elias stroked his cheek, a long, slow brush of his thumb. “We’re just the same, Jon, only I have better lungs.”  
It was this, perhaps, that made Jon slap him. Needless to say, a hit from a scrawny 5’1” man did next to nothing to Elias. For just a moment, Elias’s facade fell, he glowered down at Jon, and in that moment it was as if he saw every bone in Jon’s body. And then it was back, the cool, calm mask that Jon so despised, “Well, Jon. I must say I’m disappointed by your unsportsmanlike attitude. I’ll be seeing you soon for another little chat, let's see if we can make it go a little better than this one, hm? ” Elias swept past, and before Jon could stop himself, he called after him. “You won’t,” he said bitterly. “Whatever you are now, you are not a thing that stops for little chats anymore.   
Elias didn’t reply, of course he didn’t, but Jon could’ve sworn his shoulders tensed slightly as the door swung shut behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I doubt anyone will have read both chapters but if you have ty and ily

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed :)!!


End file.
